Official NBC News app hits Windows Phone 8

You know what's crazy? Microsoft and NBC once ran a joint news channel and website called MSNBC. But back in 2005, NBC bought the stake that Microsoft had in the news channel and only last year completed the transaction to completely take over the website. It then went from being msnbc.com to nbcnews.com. And now you've got an official Windows Phone app to keep tabs on the latest news from that very site.

NBC News is an app for Windows Phone 8. It allows you to stay on top of current events both locally and globally. With NBC News for Windows Phone you can:

"The NBC News app empowers users to quickly and fluidly browse, read and watch original and exclusive news stories from all of NBC News' trusted brands. In addition to watching shows such as Nightly News, Dateline and the TODAY show, users can access our topical content categories covering technology, politics, entertainment and more."

So why only Windows Phone 8? Can't tell you for sure, but it doesn't take advantage of some features you'd only get with the latest and greatest version of Windows Phone. For example:

Voice commands: Start the application by holding the Windows button and saying "NBC News". You can also say "NBC News, watch Nightly News" or "NBC News, go to Tech and Science."

Category tiles: You can pin any show or news category directly onto your start screen for quicker access to the news you love. (including those ever delicious double wide tiles..mhmm)

Lock screen integration: Get beautiful news photography to light up your lock screen. Enable this from the application settings or the systems settings, under "lock screen."

Audio article: Let the phone read to you by using the "read article" option from the article screen menu.

First impressions of NBC News? Very solid for the first version. I didn't think I'd be easily impressed by the ability to have articles read to me, but could totally be handy in those situations when you can't spend too much time looking at your screen. Voice commands as always are futuristic and fun to use. The overall design and layout of the app is very beautiful, although you'd be forgiven for mistaking the layout to the USA Today app. Performance is excellent, both scrolling through articles and video playback were fluid and smooth.

NBC News is free for Windows Phone 8 users, you can grab it here in the Store, use the QR code below, or swipe to the right in our app.

Reader comments

Official NBC News app hits Windows Phone 8

Love the design, very metro. Couple of minor complaints though:
1. It takes forever to open the app via a section's pinned tile (eg. US News, Technology)
2. When I open a particular section via its pinned tile, and back out, it doesn't exit the app. It goes to the app's main page.

What phone do you have?
Edit: So looking at your comment history it looks like you're running Windows Phone 7.5 or 7.8... like I stated in the headline and the article many times...this is just for Windows Phone 8. Sorry charlie!

"All apps will work they said" --> Right, for Windows Phone 8 users who want to run WP7 apps, not the other way around. They never said that

"Developers will target both they said" --> They didn't say that either, though they did give developers the tools ability to do so. The fact is, it's easier to code for WP8 than WP7 and for companies with limited mobile budgets, it doesn't make sense for them to target what is essentially a legacy platform.

I just wanted to mention that "all apps will work" doewsn't work in either direction. I tried to download the Monocle app that came out around Mango's release, but it said it would not work on my Lumia 920.

If it weren't for the Live TIles issue they fucked up with 7.8 I think in some ways my Lumia 900 feels better to use. Nokia gave me most of the same gee whiz gadgets as the 920. I think for simple app shit there is zero reason NOT to target both.

Oh wow great app. The reading of the article is great just used driving home on 880. I wish that it would blackout the screen. It doesn't play in the background so I pressed my power button thinking it would keep reading and it stopped. Also, is it me or is the quality of the video ammmazzing. Plus on the video I love that it doesn't take up the whole screen...actually I love that I have the choice of portrait or landscape for video. Kudos nbcnews might have gained yourself another viewer.

I wanted to see everything fold out as NBC is my first choice when it comes to news and I sent them an email asking when would the app be available for WP and after the email I just decided to check the store and lord behold there it was!!

Yes, the world is not all peaches and cream, in fact the news is usually depressing and discouraging. There are alot of insane people out there. It's easier to live with blinders on sometimes. Sometimes you just need a damn break!

The article states:
"So why only Windows Phone 8? Can't tell you for sure, but it doesn't take advantage of some features you'd only get with the latest and greatest version of Windows Phone. For example:"

I assume the author meant to say "....but it DOES take advantage of......"

NBC News app (only for Windows Phone 8) has got to be the best app that fully utilizes the Metro UI design. You can you do voice command "News NBC" to open the app. And the video playback UI has scroll back/forth functionality. Awesome typeface too!

"Doesn't take advantage of..." does it or does it not? I'm kinda confused. It sounds like he is describing what it does do, but leads with it "doesn't take advantage of some features you'd only get with [Windows Phone 8]".

TODAY you will get an APP from NBC. TOMORROW you will get an article on NBC telling you that Microsoft sucks and so does your Windows Phone.

Since NBC is back to NBC and is no longer MSNBC, the comments about Microsoft, Windows and Windows Phone have been less than positive. Seems a little hypercritical to download an APP from an organization who bad-mouths your favorite phone and operating system. I don't care if the APP comes with a Kate Upton tile. They can shove thier APP up thier arse.